City sources last night claimed they remained positive that Carson Yeung would eventually take over at Birmingham City.

That means today's rather arbitrary deadline, apparently set by Yeung's British advisors Seymour Pierce, is not so much D-Day as May-Be Day and that the purchase could still go through even if the Hong Kong businessman fails to sufficiently assure the club that he still intends to complete his buy-out.

Indeed sources close to the investment bank have distanced themselves from the suggestion that Yeung has until close of business today to prove he has the necessary £35 million to expedite the purchase.

There is nothing in commercial law that says Yeung must acquiesce with any cut-off date and although Birmingham have said he must finalise the deal by December 21, it appears that it could still go through as late as February 2008.

That despite the fact the relationship between the current owners and Yeung is currently being affected by rancorous posturing on both sides.

Blues are trying to force Yeung's hand by claiming they will pull out if things are not sorted by Christmas, while Yeung and his Grandtop International company refuse to be rushed.

Only recently it was agreed at an emergency general meeting of Grandtop that they would try to turn their 29.9 per cent share into complete control.

But while the Chinese are inching forward the Birmingham board demand larger steps and that has led to things deteriorating in recent days.

Last week the buyers irritated Birmingham with comments made about their handling of the case while David Gold, the club chairman, used the opportunity of Alex McLeish's unveiling as manager on Wednesday to fire a riposte.

In a withering assessment, Gold said the silence from Hong Kong was the loudest imaginable declaration of non-intent and admitted that he 'couldn't care less' if Yeung doesn't buy his and the other directors' shareholdings.

Indeed he even suggested he might be prepared, as long as Sullivan was amenable, to buy back the third share sold to Yeung for £15 million in July.

Sullivan's amenability cannot be guaranteed, however. While Gold says he has been rejuvenated by McLeish's capture, the plc chairman has been very public about the fact he wants to end his 14-year stewardship at St Andrew's.

That had led to speculation that Gold would go alone, although he rejected that idea on Wednesday and said that any increase in his involvement would be made 'in concert' with his business partner of 30 years.

So with such uncertainty surrounding the club ownership these latest, more positive, noises will do little to assure Gold and Sullivan who now want Yeung to declare his hand.

It is in such an environment that McLeish must for the first time name a Birmingham team for Sunday's trip to Tottenham Hotspur.

The former Scotland manager will today assess the recovering of striker Cameron Jerome, who underwent surgery on a hernia before the international break.

The former Cardiff City forward missed the 2-0 home defeat to Portsmouth last weekend but could be in line for a recall, depending on McLeish's preferred formation at White Hart Lane.

Meanwhile, McLeish's former employers, the Scottish Football Association, have expressed their surprise that they lost their man to a team near the bottom of the Premier League.

"I thought we had a chance of persuading Alex to stay, unless the right job came up," said chief executive Gordon Smith. "When there was all the speculation about Birmingham I didn't expect them to be the one to attract Alex. I thought that if we got Alex on an extended contract it might mean more of a commitment to him at that stage.

"I think it's a question for Alex McLeish as to why he thought the Birmingham job is more attractive than the Scotland one.

"Although we're disappointed, we can't say he's made a big mistake. He's responsible for his own future."